Santa Fe, NM – As the 2017 graduation day quickly approaches, sixty-one Santa Fe Public School seniors are preparing to complete all requirements to earn the State Seal of Bilingualism-Biliteracy on their Diploma of Excellence. The number of recipients has doubled since the class of 2016.

On March 31, 2017, thirty-three students intend to deliver a presentation to a panel of judges at the Higher Education Center (HEC) beginning at 9:00 a.m.. The presentation will include a professional portfolio, an interview, and an essay. The presentation will be evaluated as one criteria of three that must be met to demonstrate proficiency in a world language other than English. The public is invited to attend these presentations.

The State Seal of Bilingualism–Biliteracy on a New Mexico diploma of excellence certifies; •The recipient is proficient in a world language other than English for meaningful use in college and a career to meet local community language needs. •The graduate's high school transcript will indicate that the graduate received the state seal on the graduate's New Mexico Diploma of Excellence.

Bilingualism opens countless doors, allowing people to identify with multiple cultures, to understand the world from a more developed perspective, and to have more job opportunities.

Dr. Veronica C. Garcia, superintendent of schools, explained, “The students worked hard to earn the the State Seal of Bilingualism-Biliteracy on their Diploma of Excellence. Knowledge of multiple languages is a necessary skill to have in the global marketplace in which our graduates compete.”